Keith Richards Explains The Real Relationship Of The Rolling Stones and The Beatles
10th May 1967: Rolling Stones songwriters, guitarist Keith Richards, left, and singer Mick Jagger share a joke in the back of a car as they leave Chichester Magistrates Court where they appeared on drug summonses. (Photo by Ted West/Central Press/Getty Images)
Two British music legends, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, skyrocketed to fame in the 1960s. People and the media often thought of them as fierce rivals, but Keith Richards recently revealed that the two bands were actually friends.
A Relationship Rooted in Mutual Respect
During a chat in 2023 on The Tonight Show about the Stones’ latest album, “Hackney Diamonds,” Richards reminisced about their early days with The Beatles. He shared, “Our relationship with John and Paul and with The Beatles goes back to ’62, ’63.” This link has been around for a long time and has led to many collaborations and mutual support.
Putting the Rivalry Myth to Rest
In response to the old story that the two bands were rivals, Richards made it clear, “We’d play up to that. I think, you know, there was, like, a ‘Beatles versus Stones’ thing and that.” However, behind the scenes, the bands coordinated their music releases to avoid clashing on the charts. Richards explained:
“Meanwhile we’re working together saying, ‘Is your single ready?’ And, ‘We have a couple of weeks to go.’ ‘Okay. You go first.’ So we tried not to clash with our stuff.”
Collaborations and Shared Successes
The willingness to work together went beyond making plans. Richards talked about times when The Beatles directly helped The Rolling Stones become famous. Notably, “I Wanna Be Your Man,” the Stones’ first big hit, was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Furthermore, both Lennon and McCartney added background singing to songs such as “We Love You” and “Dandelion.” Richards vividly recalled:
“They gave us songs. Also, Paul and John are on a track called ‘We Love You’ in the mid-’60s. And another track, ‘Dandelion,’ that John and Paul came by to sing, because they liked the Stones too.”
Beyond the Public Perception
The media often made their relationship seem like a rivalry, but it was a partnership based on mutual respect and working together on strategies. Fans can see through Richards’s reflections into the real bond that existed between The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. They tell us that behind the headlines, there was a shared journey of musical exploration and success.
